Geranium plant named ‘Pacasal’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Regal  Geranium  plant named ‘Pacasal’, characterized by its upright plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; and large dark pink-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium×domesticum.

Cultivar Denomination: ‘Pacasal’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is co-pending with the following application:Geranium Plant Named ‘Pacared’; Andrea Michalik, applicant.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of RegalGeranium plant, botanically known as Pelargonium×domesticum, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Pacasal’.

The new Regal Geranium is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program was to develop new Regal Geraniums that did not requirea cooling treatment for flower development.

The new Regal Geranium originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor during 2001 of two proprietary selections ofPelargonium×domesticum, not patented. The cultivar Pacasal wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within theprogeny from the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment inDresden, Germany in 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Dresden, Germany since 2002 has shown that theunique features of this new Regal Geranium are stable and reproducedtrue to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Pacasal’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Pacasal’ as a new cultivar and distinguish itfrom other known Regal Geranium cultivars:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely basal branching habit.    -   4. Large dark pink-colored flowers.    -   5. Does not require cooling treatment for flower development.

Plants of the new Regal Geranium differ primarily from plants of theparent selections in flower coloration.

Plants of the new Regal Geranium can be compared to plants of thecultivar Pacared, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No.11/077,417. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Dresden, Germany,plants of the new Regal Geranium differed from plants of the cultivarPacared in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Regal Geranium had more flower umbels per        plant than plants of the cultivar Pacared.    -   2. Plants of the new Regal Geranium and the cultivar Pacared        differed in flower coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Flower andfoliage colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the colorvalues cited in the detailed botanical description which accuratelydescribe the colors of the new Regal Geranium. The photograph comprisesa side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Pacasal’ grownin a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar Pacasal have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment, such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype.

The aforementioned photograph, following observations and averagedmeasurements describe plants grown during the spring in containers inDresden, Germany, and under commercial practice in a glass-coveredgreenhouse with day temperatures about 18° C., night temperatures about16° C. and light levels less than 60,000 lux. Plants used for thephotograph and the description were about five months old. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium×domesticum cultivar Pacasal.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Pelargonium×domesticum, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Pelargonium×domesticum, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 12 days at 23° C.            Winter: About 14 days at 23° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—Summer: About 30 days            at 23° C. Winter: About 32 days at 23° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, medium in thickness; white in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   General appearance.—Upright plant habit; uniformly mounded;            inverted triangle; densely foliated.        -   Growth and branching habit.—Vigorous growth habit. Freely            basal branching habit with about seven to nine lateral            branches per plant.        -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 27 cm.        -   Plant height, to top of foliar plane.—About 20 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 25 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 2 to 15 cm. Diameter: About            0.8 to 1.2 cm. Internode length: About 0.5 to 1.5 cm.            Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate or opposite;            simple. Length: About 8 cm. Width: About 11 cm. Shape:            Palmately lobed. Apex: Acute. Base: Cordate; open. Margin:            Biserrate; undulate. Venation pattern: Palmate. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; leathery. Color:            Developing foliage, upper and lower surfaces: 144A. Fully            expanded foliage, upper surface: 137C; venation, similar to            lamina. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 137C;            venation, 147C. Petiole: Length: About 5 to 9 cm. Diameter:            About 2 to 4 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement.—Single rotate flowers arranged in            rounded hemispherical umbels arising from apical leaf axils.            Umbels displayed above the foliage on strong peduncles.            Flowers face upright to outward. Flowers not persistent.            Flowers not fragrant.        -   Quantity of flowers.—About 7 to 15 umbels per plant each            umbel with about seven flower buds and open flowers.        -   Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In            the garden in Dresden, Germany, flowering is continuous            during the spring and summer. Plants do not require a            cooling treatment for flower development.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about six to eight            days on the plant.        -   Umbel height.—About 5.5 cm.        -   Umbel diameter.—About 8 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 5 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 2.5 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.            Shape: Elliptic. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: About five. Length: About 4 cm.            Width: About 3 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base:            Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Color: When opening,            upper surface: Close to 52A; towards the base, close to 59A;            at the base, close to 155D; venation, 59A. When opening,            lower surface: Close to 52C; at the base, close to 155D;            venation, 59A. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 52B;            towards the base, close to 59A; at the base, close to 155D;            venation, 59A. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 52C; at            the base, close to 155D; venation, 59A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five, arranged in a single            whorl. Length: About 1.1 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape:            Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire;            undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent.            Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.        -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 4.5 cm. Diameter: About            3 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to            144A.        -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 1.5 to 2 cm.            Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent.            Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:            About seven. Anther shape: Elliptic. Anther color: Dark red.            Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color: Orange. Gynoecium:            Pistil quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 2 cm.            Stigma shape: Parted. Stigma color: Red. Style length: About            1.1 cm. Style color: Dark red. Ovary color: Close to 144A.        -   Seed.—Length: About 2 to 3 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Shape:            Elliptic. Color: Brown.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Regal Geranium have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Regal    Geraniums.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Regal Geranium have been    observed to tolerate rain, wind, and temperatures ranging from 10 to    25° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Regal Geranium plant named ‘Pacasal’,as herein illustrated and described.